Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
There are some terrific nicknames among UFC fighters, but certainly on the short list for one of the best has to be “The Korean Zombie.” That belongs to Chan Sung Jung as he takes on Brian Ortega in a featherweight bout to headline Saturday’s UFC Fight Night Card from the organization’s Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card will begin at 7 p.m. ET and will be available in the United States on ESPN+.
The UFC featherweight champion is Alexander Volkanovski. UFC president Dana White has all but said that Saturday’s winner would get a shot at Volkanovski.
Ortega, a 29-year-old from California, is 14-1 with a no-contest in a professional career that began in 2010 in the Gladiator Challenge. That lone defeat came in a title bout in December 2018 to former champion Max Holloway by first-round TKO (doctor stoppage). Ortega could be a bit rusty with that long layoff. He was supposed to fight Jung last December but pulled out with a knee injury. “T-City” has won seven of his bouts by submission, four by decision and three by KO/TKO. He is a +150 underdog for Saturday.
Jung, 33, is 16-5 and ranked No. 4 in the division. South Koreans have mandatory military service and Jung had to serve that in the middle of his prime. Following a featherweight title bout loss to Jose Aldo in August 2013, “The Korean Zombie” didn’t fight again until February 2017 because of it. Jung was on the wrong end of one of the most memorable losses in UFC history, knocked out by a Yair Rodriguez elbow with one second remaining in their November 2018 bout.
Since then, Jung has beaten Renato Carneiro by first-round TKO (punches) and Frankie Edgar – Ortega’s injury replacement – by first-round TKO (punches). Jung also spreads out his wins, with 50 percent by submission, 38 percent via KO/TKO and two by decision. Three of his five losses are by KO/TKO. Jung is -185 for Saturday.
At heavyweight, France’s Ciryl Gane takes on Croatia’s Ante Delija, with Gane at -600 and Delija at +400. The 30-year-old Gane (6-0) is ranked No. 12 in the division but hasn’t fought anyone of note yet. Delija (17-3) is unranked and enters on a three-fight winning streak. This will be his UFC debut.
